Clarias gariepinus • Clariidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Clarias gariepinus** (Burchell, 1822)
Common Name(s)	North African Catfish, Sharptooth Catfish, Skerptandbaber
Synonym(s)	Clarias capensis, Clarias depressus, Clarias guentheri, Clarias lazera, Clarias longiceps, Clarias macracanthus, Clarias malaris, Clarias microhthalmus, Clarias moorii, Clarias mossambicus, Clarias muelleri, Clarias notozygurus, Clarias orontis, Clarias robecchii, Clarias smithii, Clarias syriacus, Clarias tsanensis, Clarias vinciguerrae, Clarias xenodon, Silurus gariepinus
Pronunciation	klar ee ass - gar ee PINE uss
Etymology	Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water.
Species Information
Size	1500mm (59.1") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Clarias species are characterized by having an elongated body; a soft rayed dorsal fin extending to, or nearly to, the caudal fin base; a soft rayed anal fin extending from just behind the anus to the caudal fin base; pectoral fins each with a serrated anterior bony spine; head depressed, covered largely by firmly sutured, surface sculptured bony plates forming a protective helmet; four pairs of flagellate barbels (nasals, maxillaries, inner and outer mandibulars); air breathing organs derived from the 2nd and 4th epibranchials within a superbranchial chamber.
Sexing	Male has a distinct sexual papilla, located just behind the anus. See these diagrams.
General Remarks	A very hardy fish, tolerant of poor water quality. Can survive in wet mud as it breaths air.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Almost Pan-Africa, absent from Maghreb, the upper and lower Guinea and the Cape province and probably also Nogal province. Asia: Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and southern Turkey. Widely introduced to other parts of Africa, Europe and Asia. African Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	5.6 - 8.0
Other Parameters	Max Salinity: 10 mg/l
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Eats anything from zooplankton to birds, actively hunts fishes at night. Feeds mainly on invertebrates during the day.
Furniture	Pipes or other structures for it to hide in.
Suggested Tankmates	Large fishes around its size that can't fit into its mouth.
Breeding	Breeds in rainy season, breeding triggered by rise in water level. Spawns in the shallows. No parental care of eggs or young.
Further Information
References	Interior S. Africa - pp425 - Fig. on p. 445
Registered Keepers	(1) arapaima, (2) Silurus, (3) monsterfishkeeper, (4) Redtailrob, who also notes: "Very Nippy.Always active.", (5) agusmeteor (k: 999), who also notes: "Lot of them in my farm..", (6) doddreece@gmail.com (k: 6). Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.
Breeding Reports	None.
Articles	- CotM 2007 July
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Last Update	2010 Dec 21 21:33 (species record created: 2001 May 04 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

North African Catfish, Sharptooth Catfish, Skerptandbaber

Clarias capensis, Clarias depressus, Clarias guentheri, Clarias lazera, Clarias longiceps, Clarias macracanthus, Clarias malaris, Clarias microhthalmus, Clarias moorii, Clarias mossambicus, Clarias muelleri, Clarias notozygurus, Clarias orontis, Clarias robecchii, Clarias smithii, Clarias syriacus, Clarias tsanensis, Clarias vinciguerrae, Clarias xenodon, Silurus gariepinus

Pronunciation

klar ee ass - gar ee PINE uss

Etymology

Clarias: From the Greek chlaros, meaning lively; in reference to the ability of the fish to live for long periods out of water.

Species Information

Size

1500mm (59.1") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Clarias species are characterized by having an elongated body; a soft rayed dorsal fin extending to, or nearly to, the caudal fin base; a soft rayed anal fin extending from just behind the anus to the caudal fin base; pectoral fins each with a serrated anterior bony spine; head depressed, covered largely by firmly sutured, surface sculptured bony plates forming a protective helmet; four pairs of flagellate barbels (nasals, maxillaries, inner and outer mandibulars); air breathing organs derived from the 2nd and 4th epibranchials within a superbranchial chamber.

Sexing

Male has a distinct sexual papilla, located just behind the anus. See these diagrams.

General Remarks

A very hardy fish, tolerant of poor water quality. Can survive in wet mud as it breaths air.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Almost Pan-Africa, absent from Maghreb, the upper and lower Guinea and the Cape province and probably also Nogal province. Asia: Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and southern Turkey. Widely introduced to other parts of Africa, Europe and Asia.
African Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)

(Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)

5.6 - 8.0

Other Parameters

Max Salinity: 10 mg/l

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Eats anything from zooplankton to birds, actively hunts fishes at night. Feeds mainly on invertebrates during the day.

Furniture

Pipes or other structures for it to hide in.

Suggested Tankmates

Large fishes around its size that can't fit into its mouth.

Breeding

Breeds in rainy season, breeding triggered by rise in water level. Spawns in the shallows. No parental care of eggs or young.

Further Information

References

Interior S. Africa - pp425 - Fig. on p. 445

Registered Keepers

(1) arapaima, (2) Silurus, (3) monsterfishkeeper, (4) Redtailrob, who also notes: "Very Nippy.Always active.", (5) agusmeteor (k: 999), who also notes: "Lot of them in my farm..", (6) doddreece@gmail.com (k: 6).

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Breeding Reports

None.

Articles